PHILADELPHIA — Jalen Hurts provided the Philadelphia Eagles a spark with his legs and his teammates came up with their best all-around effort of the season.
They needed everyone to deliver to beat the New Orleans Saints.
Hurts ran for 106 yards and threw for 167 and one touchdown, Miles Sanders had 115 yards rushing and a pair of scores and Philadelphia defeated the Saints 24-21 Sunday, snapping New Orleans’ nine-game winning streak.
Eagles coach Doug Pederson wouldn’t commit to starting Hurts or going back to Carson Wentz next week.
“I thought overall there were good things,” Pederson said. “This wasn’t about one guy. It was about how resilient this team is. He was part of the win. There were a lot of good performances.”
The Eagles (4-8-1) snapped a four-game losing streak and stayed within reach of Washington (6-7) in the woeful NFC East. They ran for a season-high 246 yards.
The Saints (10-3) were 8-0 over the past two seasons without Drew Brees before running into the inspired Eagles. The loss dropped New Orleans to the No. 2 seed in the NFC behind Green Bay, but they already have secured a playoff berth.
“When a team rushes for 250 yards, not a lot of good things can happen,” Saints coach Sean Payton said. “But I’ll say this. (Hurts) was impressive just watching him. I thought he played with poise, made some throws. He was smart. He did a good job.”
Hurts was 17 of 30 in his first career start. He fumbled late in the fourth quarter. The 2019 Heisman Trophy runner-up began the season as the third-string quarterback. He was elevated to backup in Week 2 and took a few snaps each week until Wentz was benched during a 30-16 loss at Green Bay last Sunday.
“It’s a great team win,” Hurts said. “Everybody played together as one. We had each other’s back.”
Taysom Hill was 28 of 38 for 291 yards, two TDs, one interception and was sacked five times by Philly.
Sanders brook loose for an 82-yard TD run in the second quarter, giving the Eagles a 17-0 lead. He stiff-armed former teammate Malcom Jenkins on his way to the fourth-longest run in franchise history. Sanders has three runs of 70-plus yards since October. He had a 74-yard TD run against Pittsburgh and a 74-yard run against Baltimore.
“We played a whole four quarters,” Sanders said. “We looked like a complete team.”
The Saints had 98 total yards in the first half before they got going on their first possession of the second half. Alvin Kamara ran in from the 5 to cap a 65-yard drive and cut Philadelphia’s lead to 17-7.
The Eagles lost cornerback Darius Slay and safety Rodney McLeod on the same play before Kamara scored. Both were blitzing on the play.
The Saints took advantage on the next drive when Hill fired a 37-yard TD pass to Emmanuel Sanders, who beat Kevon Seymour, playing his first game for the Eagles.
New Orleans had a chance to take a lead, but Philadelphia’s defence came through. On fourth-and-2 from the Eagles 42, Josh Sweat strip-sacked Hill and Javon Hargrave recovered. Philadelphia again kept it on the ground and Sanders ran in from the 1 to make it 24-14.
The Eagles were trying to run out the clock when Hurts fumbled near midfield. Hill connected with Jared Cook on a 20-yard TD pass to get the Saints within 24-21 with 1:29 left.
But Philadelphia recovered the onside kick.
Hurts tossed a 15-yard TD pass to Alshon Jeffery on fourth-and-2 to give the Eagles a 7-0 lead early in the second quarter. Jeffery had two catches in four games this season before hauling in Hurts’ back-shoulder throw to give Philadelphia a rare lead.
After Duke Riley intercepted Hill’s pass that bounced off Kamara’s hands, Jake Elliott kicked a 44-yard field goal for a 10-0 lead. It was only the fourth pick this season for Philadelphia.
Will Lutz missed a 45-yard field goal wide right in the first quarter.
THE 100 DUO
Hurts and Sanders are the first quarterback/running back combination to each run for 100 yards in the same game for the Eagles since Donovan McNabb and Duce Staley in 2002.
INJURY REPORT
Saints: OL Nick Easton was evaluated for a concussion.
Eagles: Slay (head) and McLeod (knee) left in the third quarter. CB Avonte Maddox (knee) left in the first half.
UP NEXT
Saints: host the Kansas City Chiefs (12-1) on Sunday.
Eagles: visit the Arizona Cardinals (7-6) on Sunday.
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TORONTO – Reigning PWHL MVP and scoring champ Natalie Spooner will miss the start of the regular season for the Toronto Sceptres, general manager Gina Kingsbury announced Tuesday on the first day of training camp.
The 33-year-old Spooner had knee surgery on her left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) after she was checked into the boards by Minnesota’s Grace Zumwinkle in Game 3 of their best-of-five semifinal series on May 13.
She had a goal and an assist in three playoff games but did not finish the series. Toronto was up 2-1 in the semifinal at that time and eventually fell 3-2 in the series.
Spooner led the PWHL with 27 points in 24 games. Her 20 goals, including five game-winners, were nine more than the closest skater.
Kingsbury said there is no timeline, as the team wants the Toronto native at 100 per cent, but added that “she is doing really well” in her recovery.
The Sceptres open the PWHL season on Nov. 30 when they host the Boston Fleet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2024.
LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.
“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”
Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.
The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.
Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.
“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”
Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.
“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”
The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.
“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”
Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.
“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.
Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.
The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.
The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.
Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.
Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.
